The Ruby Jones conference will take place on Wednesday, October 12, 2022 from 9am ÔÇô 1:30pm. ÔÇ»The goal of this conference is to create an educational environment where students can engage in learning that will raise awareness and promote action-oriented dialogue about racial, cultural and social issues that impact how students experience life on campus, in communities and in society. Our keynote speaker for the conference is Bryan Terrell Clark, an accomplished actor and singer/songwriter who has performed in the hugely successful Broadway show Hamilton and a wide range of popular television programming for various networks.
RUBY JONES BIOGRAPHY:
The conference bears Professor Ruby JonesÔÇÖs name as a continuation of the legacy that she created at West Chester University (WCU). Professor Jones was a WCU alumna and was also the first Black faculty hired at the institution. Professor Jones was a K-12 educator prior to becoming a professor at WCU. She was actively involved with the NAACP, the YWCA, American Association of University Women and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated. She has been described by colleagues as an educator, humanitarian and civic leader.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS SET UP:
The conference will be broken up into two 45-minute breakout sessions with a 60-minute lunch break featuring the keynote speaker to follow. We welcome you to submit proposals that are engaging, action-oriented, and thought provoking as participants will have the chance to discuss proposals during lunch.
PROPOSAL GUIDELINES:
To guide the mission of the conference proposals that will be accepted will include the following components: THEME, AREAS OF FOCUS, QUESTIONS, and TOPICS. Below you will find the details for each.
CONFERENCE THEME:
Exploring Race, Social Justice, and Civic Leadership through the Arts
AREAS OF FOCUS:
Proposals should focus on one of the following AREAS:
ÔÇó Examine social issues that contribute to injustice in society.
ÔÇó Identify examples of injustice in society.
ÔÇó Identify participation of marginalized groups of people in civic leadership and movements.
QUESTIONS:
Proposals should answer one to three of the following questions:
1. What is a current social justice issue that is connected to race, culture, and the arts?
2. How can students use the arts to engage in social justice issues outside of the university?
3. How can students critically examine social justice issues?
4. How will your workshop create room for meaningful dialogue?
5. What opportunities exists to engage in this social justice work on the campus of WCU?
6. What actions were used in past historical movements that student can learn from and/or use today?
TOPICS:
While answering the above questions, the following TOPICS can be addressed:
ÔÇó Art Therapy and Mental Health
ÔÇó Social Media and Social Justice
ÔÇó Identity in Art
ÔÇó Activism
ÔÇó Freedom of Speech
ÔÇó Representation and Visibility
ÔÇó LGBTQ+ Issues
ÔÇó Other social or cultural issues related to the arts
TIMELINE:
Proposal Deadline: Wednesday, September 28, 2022
Notification: Monday, October 3, 2022
CONTACT US:
For more information or questions e-mail CHart@wcupa.edu
